# ThumbJam vs LoopBud

The clearest difference is rating: ThumbJam at 4.7 against LoopBud's 3.8. ThumbJam also leads on review sentiment (85% vs 63%) and ratings volume (218 vs 14). LoopBud's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and price ($5.99 vs $6.99). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

ThumbJam costs $6.99 and LoopBud $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ThumbJam holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ThumbJam has 218 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of ThumbJam's written reviews are positive against 63% of LoopBud's.

ThumbJam ships an update every 4 months, LoopBud every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ThumbJam | LoopBud |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $6.99 | **$5.99** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (218 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thumbjam/id338977566/reviews)** | [3.8 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loopbud-auv3-midi-recorder/id1554773709/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **218** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | **84.6% of reviews** | 62.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 215 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sonosaurus LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/338977569) | [Cem Olcay](https://appshunter.io/developer/523633853) |

## What reviewers say

### ThumbJam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thumbjam/id338977566)

This app provides a powerful musical performance experience with over 40 high-quality instrument sounds and hundreds of scales. It allows users of all skill levels to play in any style, offering expressive controls and loop-building capabilities.

**Highlights:** Over 40 high-quality multi-sampled instruments, Hundreds of included scales for any style, Expressive controls using tilt and shake, Loop building and audio export, Extensive MIDI and Audiobus support, Powerful arpeggiator feature

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Great sound quality
- 🎹 Versatile and expressive instrument
- 🎶 Excellent for music creation and improvisation
- 💻 Powerful MIDI capabilities
- 🎨 Realistic instrument samples

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lack of chord mode
- 🔢 Difficulty with precise note selection
- 🔀 Issues with loop recording and syncing
- 🔋 Battery drain concerns
- 🚫 Compatibility problems with newer devices/OS

**Reported bugs**

- Instrument muting when switching apps or opening help
- Inconsistent behavior and freezing after recent updates
- Inability to load/save recorded sets or mixes

**Requested features**

- Add chord mode for easier chord playing
- Improve loop recording and syncing capabilities
- Implement quantization options for tighter timing
- Expand instrument library with more diverse sounds
- Add support for Audio Unit (AUv3) to integrate with DAWs


### LoopBud

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loopbud-auv3-midi-recorder/id1554773709)

Record, loop, and jam with unlimited MIDI patterns and bars. Features two recording modes, quantization, and tempo control for live performance effects. Export MIDI for further editing in other applications.

**Highlights:** Unlimited MIDI patterns and bars, Add and New recording modes, Quantization with adjustable levels, Tempo control for live effects, Single bar focus for recording/looping, MIDI export for external editing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ThumbJam free?

ThumbJam costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is LoopBud free?

LoopBud costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ThumbJam or LoopBud?

ThumbJam is rated higher. ThumbJam averages 4.7 out of 5 from 218 ratings, while LoopBud averages 3.8 from 14 ratings.

### Do ThumbJam or LoopBud have ads?

Neither ThumbJam nor LoopBud shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ThumbJam or LoopBud?

ThumbJam ships an update every 4 months, and LoopBud every 3 weeks. Most recently, ThumbJam was updated on September 26, 2026 and LoopBud on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*